Today I want to honor the Lord as I honor my precious Grandma, Elma Gertrude Paramore, who died last February after having progressively worsening dementia over several years.
I was 19 when she died and I was only 9 when I first remember noticing the signs that her memory was fading. Even though I haven't gotten the chance as I've matured more to know my Grandma for who she really was, I can honestly say that the Lord has used her life immeasurably in my life.
What I remember of my Grandma from the time I knew her before her mind began to decline was that she never told me she couldn't talk when I would call her every day as a child, she was always helping take care of one of the kids in my family (there are seven of us) or cooking or finding a different creative way to serve, she occasionally took me with her to visit the women in her church homebound ministry, and she really loved people...of any age or type, but especially my Grandad. She was a beautiful vessel set apart for the Lord's purposes.
Our family moved in to help my Grandad take care of her when I was thirteen and were there with them until we had to move her to a nursing home when I was seventeen. In that time, I was able to watch as my parents loved her and faithfully took care of her day in and day out. I was able to watch as my Mom hoped in Christ on days when she would realize things like that my Grandma couldn't cook any of her great dishes anymore or that the very one who taught her how to write her name couldn't write her own name anymore. I was able to see my Dad truly take on my Mom's side of the family as his own. Then, in the later stages of her dementia when she was moved to a nursing home, I continued to learn valuable lessons through her life.
As I watched my Grandfather daily go and feed her,not merely out of duty, but rather delight...always kissing her as he came and as he went, I saw a deep picture of the faithfulness of the Lord and what commitment is. As I myself would go and visit Grandma and leave desperately trying to hold back the tears, in those moments I learned that this world is not my home and pleaded that the Lord will let me live my life for His name and not mine. She continued to be used by the Lord for noble purposes...a beautiful vessel though her physical body would have begged to say otherwise.
Through my Grandma and through seeing the way my parents and Grandad and many others responded in this time, I have seen that life matters. In an age when abortion and euthanasia are the popular ways to handle "problems", I see that the worth of a life is not determined by what they seem to be offering to society. Our worth is determined by the Creator who has made us fearfully and wonderfully in His image. I praise the Lord that even though I did not get to know much of who my grandmother truly was, I know more of who He is through her life...which, I'm sure, is what she really would have wanted. May we, as God's people, be willing to be used by the Lord to make His glorious name known in whatever way seems best to Him.
Sarah Malone
